An obvious downside to having been in hibernation for three months is that I failed to scurry and get screen-grabs of the good stuff you guys sent in. I really wish I could contextualize this one that Reporter #1 found on the Fox News website.
I couldn’t find it in their archives, either. But look what I did find: a correct use of the phrase “reek havoc.”
I love it when grammar geeks have fun.
I remember something, from somewhere, sometime, about how They were going to simplify all traffic signs in this great country and switch to only using pictures. I can’t remember whether this was in response to linguistic diversification or the belief that reading was just too hard for some people behind the wheels of cars. I can’t even prove it’s true and not a total figment of my imagination or something that seemed like a good idea at 3am in the dorm lounge. Google isn’t helping, although it did lead me to the absolutely delightful Irrational Signs blog, which is now going to suck up some of my time.
[time passes]
Ahem. Anyway. It would appear that something is going on in the field of Sign Dumbification, and we have evidence.
I’m going to go ahead and guess that the sign on the left is newer. For one thing, it’s shinier. But mostly because it looks like it used a little less metal (cheaper!) and clearly its authors felt we wouldn’t mind a little fast-and-loose with spelling. Sigh.
Of course, it’s also possible this is some kind of science experiment. Somebody has hypothesized that the juxtaposition of these two signs will cause a certain type of person to stop, do a double-take, and then suffer a massive HEAD ASPLODE. Hey, as long as they take a picture first. Right, John P.?
…and as many high school French students know, there is a way to pronounce French definite articles — using a certain speed and degree of mumblingness — such that one can sort of gloss over the difference between masculine and feminine, if one has forgotten which article is correct. I mean, a clever French teacher (hi, Madame!) will catch you doing it, but you can try.
But in writing, you kinda gotta know the difference.
And this one is easy. It isn’t even a trick. “Woman”? Female. Really.
Beautiful submission from the lovely Grace F. and Leah S. Bisous!
It’s Wednesday! And I’m no longer working overnight shift! So, uh, hi. And here’s a post!
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Reporter #1 includes the important information that this construction site is the same one that features danger lasers.
I want to go to there, y’all. The place is obviously happening.
Happy Friday! In my head, it’s Friday, because I got to work on Friday, even if an hour later it was Saturday. Clearly I’m not normal. So perhaps that’s why I’m unimpressed by Hollywood’s new belief that trailers generating excitement for trailers makes sense! Whatever. Today, the (actual) trailer for Looper was released, and as far as Google allows me to tell it’s impressed its target audience. Ooo, did you see how I used both “it’s” and “its,” which are different words with different meanings, in that sentence? Good, it was warm-up exercise for this.
Time travel? Joseph Gordon-Levitt growing up into Bruce Willis? Okay, I’m on board. I’m all about suspension of disbelief. But I can’t QUITE shake the suspicion that what they wanted here was “loopers’ guns,” since we know there are “many” loopers and since the one we see depositing a gun is, well, only depositing A gun.
PLEASE TELL ME THAT IN THE FUTURE YOU GET TIME-TRAVEL-ASSASSINATED FOR ABUSING APOSTROPHES.
Oh hai Sony. You have me a mite worried.
Seriously, I don’t use Yiddish often, but there is no better word for what this little story from Reporter #1 did to me. Tweaked only to change the kid’s name, because she deserves better than to be a minimized version of her mom. 😛
This evening, Reporter #1’s 8-year-old 7-and-a-half-year-old (sorry! I do words, not math!), CubReporter, bellowed from the bathroom while she was brushing her teeth.
Are you not just DYING? I have been waiting for this day since, well, since August 25 of 2009. And yes, this error is all over Crest’s website, too.
*Of course I also have to point out that while this might have been the first error she identified herself, this is actually not CubReporter’s first appearance on this blog, as both her lovely mug and her less-lovely ceramic mug appeared here in January of last year.
I won’t say this is my PET peeve, but it’s a peeve. Fortunately, it’s Colleen’s pet peeve, so I’ll let her take it from here.
A few days later, Colleen forwarded this with delight. Well, delight at her husband, I mean, not delight at the typo, and probably not delight at mega-grocery store Albertsons. And while we’re on the subject, Albertsons — your “about” page informs me that you were founded by Joe Albertson, and that makes me suspect that you probably want an apostrophe IN YOUR OWN NAME, but OKAY
.
And just a day later, Colleen sent this, which she received from her sister. The whole family is vigilant!
CHALLENGE: How many wrong examples of this can YOU find today, Dear Reader?
BLOG NOTE: I’m working overnights. I won’t say I’m in a permanently bad mood, but I’m permanently confused about days and times. Posts may be sparse until my next shift rotation…
In other news, I’m adding a new category: Bathrooms.
But seriously, folks, what gives? Does one need to use a possessive with restrooms or not? I’d find “Men Restroom” awkward in a vacuum, but when paired with “Womens Restroom,” which appears to be possessive, if incorrectly punctuated, it’s just too confusing for this early in the morning.
“Picktures” is pretty straightforward. (You can’t see it, but they were apparently made out of “papper.”)
But… is “fish bate” a thing? See, it was definitely advertised as if it were a thing to eat, so it isn’t “bait” misspelled. And I have no other idea what it could be. Pâté?
Submitted without comment, by me.
